April 29, 2005
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- The Santa Clara University track team completed its first-ever season at the inaugural San Francisco Track and Field Invitational, sponsored by Lombardi Sports Friday afternoon at Kezar Stadium.
Bronco runners established a number of personal and season bests and two school records were set. Santa Clara announced the addition of its new track program December. The focus of the program will focus on middle and long distance events, with a primary emphasis on providing opportunities for Bronco student-athletes to qualify and compete for NCAA championships and maximize year-round training opportunities.
Highlights from Friday's meet included school-record performances from freshmen Andrew Blumel and Chris Furnari. Blumel registered a time of 33:34.0 clocking in the 10,000-meters to set a new school mark, while Funari's 1:56.68 in the 800-meters established a SCU best.
Earlier in the day, Furnari ran a 50.9 split on the distance medley relay squad that finished with a time of 10:38.57. John Paul Thyken set a personal best with a strong opening leg in the race with a 3:09 clocking for 1,500-meters. He also finished first in his heat at 800-meters with a time of 1:59.2
Kiley Strong led a strong SCU women's contingent with personal bests in the 1,500 and for her 800-meters split in the distance medley relay. The junior from Sammamish, Wash. ran 5:01.42 in the 1,500-meters and posted a 2:26 800-meters split in the DMR.
Jeannette Cota set a personal best with a 1:03.38 split in the 400-meters in the DMR, which finished in second-place overall.
